Haunted
by neverephemeral
Summary: After Bucky has a night terror and nearly kills Darcy, he avoids her while she worries. Bucky/Darcy/Steve


_The hurt that the head forgets, the heart will always remember  
>The hold that the hand regrets, the heart remembers forever<br>-Do You by Carina Round_

**D****arcy **had never been more terrified. She was positive of that.

Steve had been called away on a mission about three days ago, with Natasha and Clint, leaving Bucky behind with Darcy. She was quite happy that she wouldn't be sleeping alone. Would she have preferred if she had both of her men in bed with her? Yes, but she wasn't going to complain.

Darcy and Bucky had crashed earlier that night around 10 pm. As usual, Darcy slept in the middle of the bed, with Bucky to the right of her, snuggled right up against her back with his metal arm draped over her hip, his metal fingers slipping in between those of her left hand. While beside her, Steve's side, she had pulled his sleeping pillow against her, snuggling her face into it.

All was fine until 2 am rolled around and Bucky had one of his nightmares.

Darcy woke up, not to Bucky thrashing around or yelling, no, she woke up with metal fingers wrapped around her throat like a boa constrictor. Both of her hands yanked on his, trying to get him to release his hold, but it didn't work. Her hands were no match for his metal arm.

Her blue eyes widened as she stared into his own cold ones. A shiver ran through Darcy at how blank and hard his stare was. It was as if he wasn't even there at all.

"Bucky," she gasped out.

His fingers tightened slightly and she choked.

His brown hair hung, like curtains, around his face, making him seem even more unhinged. Darcy's first thought was that he had relapsed back into the Winter Soldier. Her second thought was that she was going to die.

Bucky would eventually snap back to reality, he always did, and when he realized that he had killed her, it would completely break him. That's why Darcy was terrified. It wasn't just the fact that she could very well die but because it would be Bucky who killed her. She didn't want that on his conscious. He would never forgive himself.

"Bucky," she tried again, "please."

Nothing. He didn't even blink.

She had to make him realize that it was her. He was no longer the Winter Soldier. Slowly, but desperately, she reached out a hand to his face. She pushed away some of his hair from his face, all the while staring directly into his eyes.

Her eyes began to water, tears leaking from the corner of her eyes, as he tightened his choke hold on her. She didn't stop though, she couldn't.

"James," she pleaded, "it's me."

That seemed to do it. Lines of confusion appeared at his forehead and he loosened his hold on her neck a little as he looked at her.

She gave him a little smile, "it's me."

"Darcy?" he whispered.

"Yes," she gasped relieved.

He flew off of her in a flash. She rolled over onto her side and coughed, as she took in huge gulps of air. Darcy knew that she was going to have some serious bruises in the morning. As she sat up in bed, the lights came on in her bedroom.

"LADY DARCY!" Thor's voice boomed.

She winced, "I'm alright."

Bucky sat at the end of the bed away from her, eyes glazed over with tears and taking in huge breaths himself. Following Thor in was Tony, with Pepper beside him. Tony stared between Darcy and Bucky, a range of emotions covering his face.

"Oh my God!" Pepper flew across the bedroom floor, kneeling beside Darcy on the bed. "Darcy?"

Darcy shook her head, "I'm alright."

Her entire body was shaking and she couldn't stop crying.

* * *

><p>A day had past and Darcy hadn't seen Bucky at all. He was still in Stark tower, that much she knew; because everyone else had saw him and told Darcy how miserable he looked. Steve, Clint and Natasha still weren't back from their mission. They had checked in and Darcy had begged with Fury to not tell Steve about what had happened. Surprisingly enough he had listened. Darcy was grateful for that.<p>

So, Darcy sat by herself, at the kitchen table in the commons area. Her hands were wrapped around a mug of steaming tea, which she hadn't touched. Her throat was sore and it was covered in dark blue, practically purple, finger printed marks. When Bruce had checked her over, he had commented on how lucky she was that Bucky hadn't done more damage.

Darcy didn't consider herself lucky at all. Bucky had done a lot of damage. All of which wasn't his fault. It was common knowledge that Bucky had night terrors. Usually Darcy had no problem getting him back under control again and if it was too much, Steve would handle it. But what happened the night before was beyond anything. Bucky had never had night terrors like that before.

"Darce?"

Darcy didn't look up as Jane sat across from her at the kitchen table. Jane had hugged Darcy so hard the other night that she was pretty sure her best friend bruised her ribs.

"He won't come anywhere near me," Darcy said, her voice still a little scratchy. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I don't know... I can't help him."

"He just needs some space, right now," Jane said, "it's okay."

"No, no it's not," Darcy's eyes snapped up to look at the scientist sitting across from her, "nothing about this is okay, Jane. HE TRIED TO STANGLE ME!"

"It wasn't his fault."

"You don't think I know that?" Darcy snapped. "You don't think that I know, that if he weren't having his night terrors that one of the men, whom I'm in love with, wouldn't have tried to strangle me? That he wouldn't have relapsed back into the Winter Soldier and tried to KILL ME!"

"Darce-"

"He hates himself Jane!" Darcy said. "He thinks himself undeserving of my love! I haven't seen or heard from him since the other night. A whole freakin' day!" She paused and took a breath. "I don't blame him but he blames himself. There's no way for me to convince him otherwise." Darcy looked up at Jane. "I am so scared that I lost him, Jane."

Jane stared back at her and watched as a few tears rolled down the younger woman's cheeks.

"I love him and it's breaking my heart," Darcy whispered.

Within a second, Jane was pulling Darcy into her arms, rubbing her back soothingly as Darcy broke down.

Steve, Clint and Natasha arrived back from their mission the next day. Already Steve could tell that something was off. It wasn't the quick strained glance that Fury shot in his direction, or the concern that flashed through Hill's eyes but the lack of the two people that he cared most about greeting him.

He didn't bother waiting before he took off for their apartment. Something wasn't right and he could feel it with every fiber of his being. Still dressed in his uniform, Steve entered the apartment like it was on fire. His blue eyes quickly scanned the surrounding area.

* * *

><p>Darcy had been relaxing on the couch or at least trying to relax as much as she could before she heard the opening and closing of the apartment door. She sat up quickly, hoping that it may have been Bucky, but was surprised when Steve suddenly appeared in the living room.<p>

"Steve?"

Steve was in front of her in a minute, his hands cradling her face, as he tilted it upwards and took in the finger shaped marks on her neck. His blue eyes narrowed and his whole body was rigid as he stared at her, silently asking the question.

"He had a night terror," she answered with a soft voice, "I haven't seen for two days. He won't come anywhere near me, Steve."

Without a word, he brushed his lips against hers and pulled her into his arms. He held her as she wept, rocking them from side to side.

"I'm so worried," Darcy cried.

"I know, sweetheart, I know," Steve ran his hand up and down her back, "we'll fix it. We'll fix it."

After comforting Darcy enough to allow her to fall asleep, Steve took off to find Bucky. He had stopped to talk to Jane first, who filled him on everything, with Thor chiming in that both he and Tony sparred with the soldier man.

He wasn't at all surprised when he found his best friend in the gym by himself. Bucky didn't even glance in his direction as he continued to kick the punching bag's ass.

"Bucky-" Steve began.

"Don't."

"You're an ass, Barnes," Steve said.

Bucky scoffed, "Already knew that."

"Not because of what happened," Steve moved forward, "but because you've avoided her since then. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I nearly killed her!" Bucky spat out.

Steve flinched and stopped walking, "but you didn't."

"Did you see the bruises?" Bucky looked at him. "Huh? Did you see the marks I left?"

"Yes," Steve nodded.

"I could have broken her neck!"

Steve shook his head, "so, you think it's better to avoid her? Bucky, you haven't seen her! She's completely messed up about this! She's worried about you!"

Bucky stopped and shook his head, looking down with hate at his metal arm. Damn HYDRA! Damn them all!

"Don't do this, Bucky," Steve said, "just don't. You're not the Winter Soldier anymore. You're Bucky Barnes."

"I almost killed her, Steve," Bucky whispered.

Steve sighed, "We can fix this, Bucky. We can overcome this. She doesn't blame you at all. Darcy loves you. You're my best friend. Between me and our girl, we can help you. You have to forgive yourself."

Bucky clenched his metal hand into a fist.

"We're all haunted, Bucky," Steve said, "from our pasts. Our pasts make us who we are today. Your past helped to shape the man you are today. The man that Darcy loves."

"I don't understand how," Bucky said, "how we got us an amazing woman."

"Tony seems to think she's on a mission from God," Steve answered.

Bucky couldn't help but to chuckle at that and Steve was quick to join in.

* * *

><p>Darcy had woken up from her sleep to hear voices speaking softly from the kitchen. She rose up from the couch and made her into there, when she came to a sudden halt.<p>

"Bucky?"

There, leaning beside Steve against the island counter, Bucky looked at her. She hadn't seen him in two days and while she wanted to throw herself at him she held herself back. She didn't know how he was or if he even wanted her.

"Hi," Bucky said.

Darcy laughed out a nervous laugh, "hi." She took a step forward but stopped. "What?"

"Come here," Bucky said.

Darcy flew across the floor and into his arms, knocking his body against the counter. So many emotions ran through her. One hand, his metal hand, cradled the back of her head, while his other held her body tight against his.

"I'm sorry," Bucky whispered, leaning back so his breath brushed against her neck, "I love you and I'm so sorry."

"I love you too," Darcy replied.

She leaned back away from him, grasping either side of his face, "don't ever leave me again! I will kick your ass!"

"Ditto," Steve added.

Bucky nodded, "Okay."

"I love you," Darcy said.

Bucky nodded and leaned down, placing ghost like kisses against her bruises.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading!<strong>

**-K xo**


End file.
